Go Global Office of Global Engagement

Application and admission process

Nomination & Application
  • If you wish to come to UBC on exchange, your home university must first nominate you. Our system will subsquently send you an email prompting you to log in to the Go Global Student Application Portal where you will submit your exchange application. Be sure to check your junk/spam folder for emails from Go Global. 
     
  • Students wishing to attend MRNE (Marine Science) courses must submit a separate application to Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (BMSC) after completing the exchange application. MRNE courses are taught at BMSC located on Vancouver Island. Additional fees will apply.
     
  • Students with disabilities and ongoing medical conditions must register with UBC’s Centre for Accessibility. We strongly recommend beginning this process at the same time as your exchange application. 
     
  •  Once you complete your online application, you will receive another email with your UBC Student Number. You will need this number for all steps in the application process, as well as during your time at UBC.  
Application Instructions
  1. Ensure you meet UBC's English language requirements.
  2. Review program and course restrictions.  Read this information carefully to understand which programs and courses are available.
  3. Complete the online exchange application. Once your university has nominated you, you will receive a system email with further instructions, including a link to our online Student Application Portal. Submit your online application by the deadline indicated. Once you have submitted the online application, you will receive a confirmation email indicating your UBC student number. 
  4. Submit your application documents (see Application Document Checklist below) to your home exchange office. Have your home exchange office upload all required documents to UBC's Partner Nomination Portal by the deadline indicated.
  5. Follow the instructions to apply for Housing by the deadlines specified. You will need your UBC student ID number and the email submitted with your nomination. There is no need to wait until you are admitted.
  6. Create a Campus-Wide Login account when prompted (after admission only).
Application Document Checklist

It is your responsibility to prepare and provide these documents to your home university’s exchange office. Then your home university will submit them to Go Global on your behalf by uploading them to the nomination platform before the application due date. Please check our Key Dates page for deadlines.  

Required Documents: 

  1. Current official academic transcript: If you are pursuing graduate studies, include both undergraduate and graduate transcripts. Transcripts must include the grading scale and grades for at least one full term of completed courses at the partner university. 
  2. Official translation of academic transcript if the original transcript is not in English. 
  3. Proof of English proficiency: If English is not your first language or the language of instruction at your home university (check with your home university’s exchange office to see whether this requirement has been waived for your university). See the list of accepted tests and requirements here. 
  4. One passport-style photo 
  5. Proposed course list 2024-2025: Your proposed courses will give Go Global an idea of what you plan to study at UBC, so that you can be admitted to the appropriate faculty. We will use the list for admission purposes only. You will receive separate instructions for the actual course registration, which is an ongoing process between your admission and the course add/drop deadline. 
  6. Additional supporting documents as needed for students planning to take courses in certain faculties/disciplines at UBC (see section “Additional documents required by faculties or departments at UBC” below). 
Additional Documents Required by Faculties or Departments at UBC 

Architecture checklist: 

  • Statement explaining your interest in the discipline of architecture and UBC's School of Architecture 
  • Resumé 
  • Two letters of reference (academic references) 
  • Portfolio: a representative sample of undergraduate or graduate-level architecture course work 
  • TOEFL score of 100 (Internet-based) 

Landscape Architecture / Environmental Design checklist: 

You are required to submit a portfolio of your design work for admission. 

Education checklist: 

If you want to participate in a teaching practicum, a criminal record check (from your local police authority) is mandatory. This requirement is the result of British Columbia legislation that requires a review of all candidates who will be working with children. 

Music checklist: 

Students hoping to take courses from the UBC School of Music must audition and complete this supplementary form. For any questions, please email music.admissions@ubc.ca. 

Creative Writing checklist: 

If you plan to take 300- or 400-level creative writing courses, submit these additional documents: 

  • A syllabus/course outline for each of the pre-requisite course(s) you have taken at your home university
  • A short writing sample (10 pages maximum) in English, ideally in the genre you want to take.

Note: 400-level CRWR courses are only available to students majoring in Creative Writing at their home universities. 

Visual Arts checklist: 

You are required to submit a portfolio of your work in the areas you would like to take courses (e.g., sculpture, painting, etc.). 

Admission & Acceptance Procedures

Applications are reviewed by Go Global, faculties and academic offices for admission. During the application review process, Go Global may contact partner universities and students for further information as required. Once an admission decision has been made, students will be notified by email about their admission and acceptance procedures. At that time, students will need to:

1. Verify their personal information (e.g. legal name, date of birth, permanent address, etc.) is correct on their student application in the Go Global Student Application Portal and on the Letter of Acceptance (LOA). If the information needs to be updated, students MUST notify Go Global within five (5) business days of the email notification about their admission and PRIOR TO accepting their offer of admission. 
2. Download the LOA from the Go Global Student Application Portal. This document may be used for immigrations applications (e.g. visa, study permit, etc.).
3. Accept the admission offer in the Applicant Service Centre before the expiry date. This will generate a student account in Workday Student, UBC's student information system for course registration, fee payments, academic records, etc.
4.

For full-year and split-year students only: Wait to obtain a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL). This document is used for initial study permit applications from outside Canada. Within two (2) weeks of students accepting their admission offer in the Applicant Service Centre, the PAL will be emailed directly to students.

NOTE: Because of the limited number of PALs available, students will only receive one (1) PAL. You MUST ensure all information is correct prior to accepting your admission offer. We are unable to re-issue PALs due to incorrectly submitted information (e.g. wrong birthdate, misspelled name, incorrect address, etc.). If you do not require a PAL, notify Go Global within five (5) business days of the email notification about your admission. Should you have any questions about the PAL process, contact Go Global. For questions pertaining to study permit applications, please contact International Student Advising.
5. Create a Campus-Wide Login (CWL) account to access UBC's online systems with a single login.